


Snide Comments and Sleep at Last

by Iggy_Popsicle



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, Sass, Talk about fluff, snuggles and books
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 13:03:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14237886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iggy_Popsicle/pseuds/Iggy_Popsicle





	Snide Comments and Sleep at Last

Celaena sat in the library, a large tome open on the low coffee table. She sat on the floor before it, lazily flipping through the pages. Nothing...nothing... nothing! How infuriating it was to be researching and get nothing for your troubles. She glanced to the side, spotting that the guard who escorted her had found a book of his own and was currently reading in the chair next to her. With his weapons unattended like that, it would have been easy to slit his throat and escape had that been her goal. But it wasn’t. 

She sighed and stood, catching the attention of the guard. She closed the book and moved to replace it back into the case. The guard looked up over his book and followed her with his eyes carefully as she picked another volume from the case, her slender arm stretching to reach it. Celaena returned to the small seating area where she was before. 

The book was already open and her eyes scanning the pages. She glanced up from it slowly, praying her eyes deceived her. Seeing that they weren’t, she rolled her eyes as the Crown Prince stretched out upon the sofa, a book in his hands. “I was sitting there, you know. Mind moving, Your Highness?” She spat sarcastically. 

“I’m sorry, do you mind me enjoying my library? I’m not stepping on your toes, am I?” Dorian closed his book and stood, lazily dropping the hardcover to the table with a clatter. He strode right up to Celaena and stretched out his hand to take a few locks of her hair through his fingertips. 

Celaena swatted his hand away,”Not when you interrupt my reading.” She turned from him and headed back towards the book case. The act was partly to conceal the light blush of color across her cheeks and partly to gather a small stack of books to take back to her room. 

“Your reading? Remember who’s books you are reading, Sardothien.” Dorian smirked. He followed her to the bookcase, staying a few paces behind her. He couldn’t help but admire the way her dress dipped in the back, leaving the extra fabric to train behind her. The dark, forest green color looked wonderful in contrast to her pale skin and light hair. He leaned up behind her as she stretched up to take down a book. His hand covered hers and his breath tickled her neck. A smirk played his lips. 

Celaena sighed, trying to drill it into her head. Dorian was just bothering her. He was a problematic prince who just made her life harder. Yes, yes that was it. She didn’t like him. Not in the slightest. She pulled down the book, using a slender finger to pull it down by the spine and have it fall into her palms. She turned around and seized up, her shoulders jerking up to her ears. She had run right into Dorian’s chest. 

“And you couldn’t move? I’m trying to...” She trailed, careful not to make eye contact as Dorian’s hand lead hers up again so he could examine the book she grabbed. Celaena wasn’t sure what she was trying to do. 

“Were you aware that I’m currently reading this? I’m enjoying it immensely.” He said slyly. His hand still rested atop her’s as he turned the book over in his hands. “Would you be interested in reading together?” He inquired. 

Celaena paused, thinking for a moment. Reading with Dorian did sound very appealing, but admitting it would make her sound desperate. Was there a way she could accept without looking pathetic? “I suppose, since you suggested it.” She sighed and flicked her hand away from his. She mindlessly pulled another book down from the shelf as Dorian smile, nodded, and walked off to the other side of the library towards the sofas. 

Only, he picked the ones far away from her guards. Not that she blamed him. It was never fun to have guards breathing down your neck every two minutes. It was good to have space. But that was rarely a gift given to Celaena. She was rarely granted alone time with others due to her less than pacifistic reputation. 

The girl followed him down to the sofa, sighing as she watched him stretch out, laying against the arm and resting his legs along the length of the sofa. “Move or I’ll sit on you.” She tested. How rude of him to take up the whole sofa and leave no room for her. Or perhaps his motives were a little more sinister. 

“But I’m afraid you look too shallow. There is plenty enough room for you without my moving.” Dorian said, a smirk playing his lips. It was a ploy just to get close to her. It was painfully obvious but it was there. 

And she fell for it. 

But is it falling for it when you want it?

She sighed, very quickly knowing what he wanted. Celaena rolled her eyes as she awkwardly shifted onto the sofa. Carefully, she got comfortable, leaning her back against his chest, her hands resting on her stomach. Her head rested just under his, enough that he could place his chin over her head comfortable. Dorian wrapped his arms around her, pulling the book out as well, a smile on his face. 

He held it in a manner that allowed both of them to see it. “Shall we start at the beginning?” He asked, his voice just softer now that he was so close. 

“No, I think we should start at the end and go backwards.” Celaena said sarcastically. Her hand snuck up from her resting place and gently rested atop of Dorian’s as he held up the book. There was something so strangely reassuring about touching his smooth and perfect skin. 

She was a little happy to see that he paused before answering, leaning his head against hers. “Your biting words have little effect upon be anymore.” He whispered,”You’ll have to do better than that.” He teased. Dorian’s hand shifted, letting the book sag as he took her hand into his own. He moved their clasped hands to support the book on her stomach. 

Celaena would be lying if she say that the loving warmth of Dorian’s hand clasped in hers didn’t aid greatly in soothing her recent stresses and worries. 

“From the beginning we start.” He whispered. A very light kiss was pressed to her head before he started reading the words upon the page out loud. His voice was low, as not to disturb other patrons and not to be too obvious. Perhaps it was to sooth Celaena as well. 

Because that’s exactly what happened. As soon as Dorian began reading the first page, Celaena shifted a little to get more comfortable. She moved up a little, her shoulders off to the side. She found herself almost silently muttering the words along with Dorian. 

This moment of just gentle contact and being able to finally relax. To at least take a deep breath, and for Dorian to be here as well. It was all too much. The dreaded, and gracious notion of slumber began to tug at Celaena’s eyelids. They grew heavier and heavier with each page that she would turn with Dorian. Their hands were still clasped together. His breath tickled her ear. 

“Celaena...” his quiet voice whispered,”Celaena, turn the page.” Dorian had been reading and was surprised when he felt the girl’s hand unwillingly move. Confused, he peeked over the back of her head, wondering if perhaps she was still reading to herself or if she were upset. He was surprised to find that she was asleep. It look like she very well needed it too. Under eye bags were creeping onto her perfect, pale skinned face. Her eyes were peacefully shut and her breathes were shallow and deep at the same time. 

Dorian gently closed the book and set it off to the side. He moved his other arm around her waist, holding her closer. It helped as Celaena shifted and rolled onto her stomach, leaning dangerously close to the edge of the couch. Dorian made sure to steady her as she pressed her stomach against his and rested her head on his chest, her ear against his heart. Her hair was in somewhat of a halo all around her head and back. 

A guard wandered over, just to check to make sure that Dorian wasn’t dead. He was surprised to see the two together as such. Their hands clasped together and to be so vulnerable in front of him... the girl must be mad. Or in love. Dorian shooed the guard away, silently with a hand gesture. 

It wasn’t long before the Crown Prince also feel into a nice, well deserved slumber.


End file.
